


Conversation With a Werewolf

by lexismorr



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: All the Young Dudes Fictional Universe, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), all the young dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lexismorr/pseuds/lexismorr
Summary: A canon and All the Young Dudes complacent short story.The conversation Remus Lupin had with the werewolf that stayed in the same ward as Arthur Weasley did during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.Also fuck jkr
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [All the Young Dudes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10057010) by [MsKingBean89](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsKingBean89/pseuds/MsKingBean89). 



December 25th, 1995 - St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

For the majority of Remus’ adult life he has spent Christmas drunk and/or trying to distract himself from memories. Christmas was a day he always related to James. His Christmas spent at the Potter’s haunted him. Though James has been gone for 5168 days, it still hurts a little more every year.

This year was going to be a specifically miserable one. Remus had taken it upon himself to go to St Mungo’s. One reason was to see Arthur, who was struck by a snake. But the other, a more dreadful reason. Arthur had convinced him to speak to a man recently bitten by a werewolf. Remus never liked talking to fellow werewolves, certainly not newly bitten ones. He still very much remembers his relationship with Danny, Marlene’s brother. He specifically remembers how poorly it went.

He looked over and saw a small bed with the blue curtains pulled around it. Arthur nodded in its direction. Remus took the hint and excused himself from the group. Arthur had warned him of how the man reacted when he tried to talk to him. To be honest, Remus fully understood how the man felt. Remus would have done the same. 

“Um, hello sir,” Remus said in his most polite voice he could manage.

“I’m not hungry and I am fine,” said the voice behind the curtain.

“I’m not a nurse, I was just wanting to talk to you about…” Remus would have continued but he was cut off.

“Oh god if you are a friend of that man with the snake bite then please save me the time and energy and let me have a peaceful Christmas. That is all I ask.” The man’s voice was hoarse. It sounded as though he was in tears.

Remus truly wanted to leave. He did not see the point in pushing. Why should he care about this man? Maybe he just wanted to be left alone, truly left alone. Remus understands wanting to be alone. He turned around and started to walk back towards Arthur. 

“I’m sorry,” the man said followed by a sniffle. He grabbed the curtain and pulled it back. As the curtain pulled back he saw the man’s face. Though there was wounds running across his face he was immediately recognizable. Christopher Barley.


	2. Chapter 2

A shiver went down Remus’ spine as he looked at Christopher. His eyes were blotchy and red, Remus knew from tears. He looked older than ever, grey hair peeking through and dark eye bags. He looked tired. Remus realized Chris had not ever looked up at him yet, he was staring the book in his hands while fiddling with his glasses.

Remus stood there, he said nothing. What would he say? The last time they saw each other was god awful. He still never fully processed the fact he had a wife and child. After what Remus felt was 30 minutes Chris looked up and made eye contact with Remus. Remus did not have the strength to look away or to say anything. They stared at each other. Both opened their mouths and then closed them.

“Are you the werewolf friend of Arthur,” Chris blurted this out. It was evident that he didn’t mean to say it.

Remus tried to compose himself and said, “Yes.” There was another silence that followed.

Remus decided to break the silence, “How is your wife and child, um god sorry blanking on the names.”

“Åsa and Henrik,” Chris broke eye contact and looked at his book again, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

“Oh, um, sorry. How are they?”

“Fine, how’s your bloke?”

It took Remus a moment. Grant. “Oh, um fine.” More silence followed. Remus pulled the curtain back so they were alone and he sat on the chair near Chris’s bed. The chair had dust on it, no one had visited him. This stopped Remus from asking about his family again.

“That’s where you went all those times,” Chris said this in a tone that made him sound as though he had just been betrayed. “Werewolf.”

“Yes.”

“Did they know? All your friends James, Peter, and the rest of them.”

Remus recognized he didn’t say Sirius’ name. He thought he understood why. “Yes they knew.”

“Why did you not tell me?”

Remus sat there in shock. Why did he not tell him? Was he mad? Yes they were friends but not telling each other shit like that close. God, he mostly only ever studied with the kid and even then it was pretty limited. “They found out, I never really told them.” 

“That was a stupid question. Of course you wouldn’t have run around telling people you were a werewolf.” Chris started to cry.

It was a stupid question. Remus knew it. He was tempted to say it was but he restrained himself. He leaned forward and rested his hand on Chris’ shoulder in an effort to comfort him.

“My wife left me,” Chris blurted it out. Before Remus had time to respond he continued. “She went back to her family in Sweden. Took Henrik too. Told me to never come find her.”

What was Remus supposed to say to this? He just sat there, face blank.

“It was because I’m a werewolf.” Chris looked at Remus. Tears continued to fall down Chris’ face. 

“It will be ok,” this was the only thing Remus could think to say.

“Ok?,” Chris yelled this. Remus can not recall him ever raising his voice, especially at him. “I lost my wife, my child, my job, I’M A FUCKING WEREWOLF FOR GOD SAKE. Oh and don’t forget i’m gay too.”

Remus lost control. “Oh shut up.” Chris stopped crying and looked at Remus in shock.

“We all have our shit ok? Everything you just fucking listed off sucks but I have my own problems too, we all do. You screaming at me, the only person that is even fucking here won’t solve any of your issues.” This all just slipped out of Remus, guilt overwhelmed him.

Chris looked like a kid that just got caught, so very innocently shameful. If Remus was not so mad he might have laughed. 

“I’m sorry,” Chris said this in a way that made it very clear how sorry he really was.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is some mention of the plot of OOTP in here. Specifically the second wizarding war and how the ministry did not believe Harry/Dumbledore about Voldemort's return.

A few moments followed Chris’ apology where the air felt heavy with guilt.

Remus was never a feelings kind of person. When he was a kid he had James to do that, sometimes even Sirius. As he got older it was Grant. Remus tried to use the strategy of what would James do? Something he had never really stopped doing even after James died. But like the majority of the time he used this strategy he came up with nothing.

Lucky Chris spoke the first words, “How long have you been a werewolf?”

Finally, a simple easy thing Remus could answer. “Since I was 5.”

Chris looked at Remus with pity. Remus has always hated when people look at him like that. He was not someone who needed to be pitied.

“Do.. do you remember how it happened,” Chris was obviously nervous about asking this.

“Not really,” Remus took a deep breath, “I remember my mothers screams and cries.” Remus found that over the years that wound deep inside him had healed. He had accepted that memory.

“That’s terrible”

“Ah, it’s ok I have grown to accept it.”

“I just feel terrible for complaining to you. I know your life hasn’t been easy.”

Again Chris’ face was full of pity. Remus found himself becoming angry. “We all have our own problems I suppose,” Remus said this in a more aggressive tone than he meant to.

“Ya… but your friend they all…” Chris cut himself off. Remus wished he didn’t bring them up. Chris was always the kind of kid that felt he could ask Remus anything, he doesn’t know where he got that idea.

“I’m fine,” Remus wanted to end the discussion as quickly as possible.

“Sorry for bringing it up. I just know it must be hard to have um... your friends murdered by whatever Sirius was to you.”

Of course Chris had to fucking say that. Of course he did. Sirius didn’t murder his friends. Remus couldn’t say that though. “As I said I am fine.” The only thing he could think of saying that would move the conversation along.

“I have some tips for your furry little problem,” Remus said this to push the conversation away from his friends. “A lifetime of experience causes you to find some ways to make it easier.” Remus tried to smile but it felt more like he was frowning.

“Oh um. That would be great.” Chris understood that I wanted to change the topic.

Remus planned out all his furry little problem tips but none of them felt appropriate or useful. This wasn’t just some random person anymore, it was Chris “Don’t register with the ministry,” Remus knows he shouldn’t have said that, but that is his most honest and best tip.

“I- what?” Chris looked very confused and scared of this statement.

“Don’t register.”

“Are… you not registered?”

“I am not.”

“Why?”

“Remember Marlene’s brother Danny?” Chris nodded. “He was bitten, which I think you also know.” Chris nodded again. “He was registered and every full moon they locked him up. It’s much more painful to be locked away when you transition. That i s how I got these.” Remus pointed at the scars that ran across his face.

“The nurses registered me.”

Remus didn’t really think about that. Of course the nurses would have to legally register Chris, it is probably a law.

“Oh, I should have assumed so. Um I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No more scared than I was before,” Chris made a sad attempt at a grin. “Where do you go on the um full moons, if not the ministry?”

“Well when I was at Hogwarts it was the shrieking shack. Now that I’m not a student or teacher I just apparate to random woods secluded from others.”

“Were you the shrieks?” That pitiful look across on Chris’ face again.

“Yes.”

“And teacher?”

“Oh um ya. Defense Against the Dark Arts two years ago,” this statement Remus truly smiled at.

“Blimey, the curse still there then? One year then sacked.”

“Yup.”

“I got scaled from my ministry job, don’t want no half-bleeds.”

“Umbridge?”

“Ya. I stand with Dumbledore and Harry. Just so you know.”

“That is good. I’m with um Harry today. Good kid, like James and Lily.” Chris and Remus both smiled at each other.


	4. Chapter 4

After a quiet moment where Chris and Remus both smiled at each other. They both feel out of their trance and remembered the situation at hand.

“I feel bad about our last encounter,” Chris said.

“Oh, um why?” Remus had a slight hope that he would explain how the hell he got a wife and child as a fucking gay man.

“The wife.”

“Oh, ya no um it’s ok.”

“My parents sent me away to Sweden. After school. To fix me.” Remus felt his stomach twist, he felt guilty now for wanting to know why he had a wife.

Chris continued, “I thought if I just got married and had a kid they would get off my back. It worked until the bite. Well they don’t want to see me again. Fucking assholes.” Remus realized at this moment how truly little he knew about Chris. He knew Chris since they were kids and yet, he could not recall any time Chris ever discussed his parents. Chris is one of the only living remniates of his past and he knew nothing about him.

“Did you love her?” Remus thought it was a stupid question. He just wanted to know, he felt that it was important to ask.

“No,” Chris said this in the most blank, emotionless tone he had spoken yet.

Remus nodded.

“I love Henrik,” a smile formed on Chris’ face.

“I am sure he loves you too.” Chris smiled at this.

“Are you fighting?”

“Huh?”

“Against You Know Who.”

“Well of course.”

“No, no. I mean with Dumbledore and Harry. It is just you mentioned being with him and all.”

“Why do you ask?”

“I want to fight as well.”

Oh fuck me. Chris, a father wants to go risk his life? No.

“You have a child.”

“A child that, if he Who Must Not Be Named is not stopped will be better off dead.”

Remus contemplated for a minute. Why would a father leave his child? Bravery? Remus never really understood why Chris was a Gryffindor. The kid was always quiet, and more or less a coward. Maybe there was more to Chris.

“It is not up to me to decide anyways, that is up to Dumbledore.”

“Let me send him an owl,” Chris got up and moved over to the desk at the end of his bed and pulled out a quill and parchment.

“Stop,” Remus said this louder then he intended to.

Chris stopped writing and looked at him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Chris said this in a voice that Remus was sure he had never heard from him before, confidence.

“Ok then. Send me an owl next week if you are still sure then I will talk to Dumbledore.” Remus checked his watch and realized he had been there for over an hour, he got up.

“You will receive my owl in a week,” Remus nodded at this. He pulled the curtains, took one more look at Chris. Chris had changed. Remus had a surge of hope for a moment. Maybe Remus and Chris could rekindle their friendship? Who knows. He saw Arthur and walked over to his bedside and decided it was best to keep his friendship with Chris private for now.


	5. The Letters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry...

January 1, 1996

Dear Remus,

I hope you are well. I am still certain of my decision and would like to help however I can. Please get back to me as soon as possible.  
Best, 

Chris Barely.

* * *

January 2, 1996

Chris,

Dumbledore had offered to come see you tomorrow at St Mungo's tomorrow. Hopefully that works for you. 

Remus J. Lupin.

* * *

February 18, 1996

Chris,

I have been informed of the plan for you to infiltrate the pack. Please reach out if you need advice or help. I wish you luck.

Remus J. Lupin.

* * *

March 14, 1996

Dear Remus,

I apologize for not getting back to you. By the time your letter came I had already joined the pack. I was terrible, they are like wild animals. I didn’t fit in. Have you ever lived with them before? I am planning on going back at the end of the month to get a few more to try and join in the fight against You Know Who.

Best Wishes,

Chris Barely

* * *

March 15, 1996

Chris,

No worries about not responding. Yes I have lived with the Greybacks pack during the first war. I personally did not enjoy the experience. I wish you luck on you next time with the pack. When you return would you like to go catch up?

Remus J. Lupin.

* * *

March 20, 1996

Dear Remus,

I would love to catch up! I will be back April 15, I will send an owl to you then. 

See you soon,

Chris Barely.

* * *

April 20, 1996

Chris,

I hope you are well. I was wondering if you forgot about our plan to catch up after you returned from the pack. Hope you are well and safe.

Remus J. Lupin.

* * *

May 15, 1996

Chris,  
I am starting to get worried. It has been a month, please Chris

Remus J. Lupin.

* * *

May 21, 1996

Dear Remus J. Lupin,

I hope you are well. I know you were friends with Mr. Barely so I thought I would inform you. We have discovered that he has passed on. I wish I could have informed you of this in person but with the current situation at hand I am unable to.

Albus Dumbledore.


End file.
